So this is the third, and final thread in the series of threads I began with this thread. Yesterday, I did a thread about the Rangers and how they can be different from Hunters. Today, I'm going to work on the Tinkers and show how they can be different than the Engineering profession, and why they would be a great addition to the game. I'm going to also post up a poll asking readers to determine if I did a solid job differentiating this class from Engineering as well as the Hunter class. After the Ranger thread, I'm very interested in your responses.
Finally, its obvious that this class may never see the light of day in this game. That's understandable, however there's no harm in doing a little speculation and theorycrafting (it's also quite a bit of fun). And besides, if this class is never implemented, I still got my Engineer from Torchlight 2.
Tinkers
I: Previous Tinker Threads
I clearly love this class idea, so I've done multiple threads about it.
Reasons why I think Tinker is a potential class:
http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...w-class-in-WoW
Previous Tinker Thread from 2011:
http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...ss-idea-Tinker
This is an updated version of my Tinker Class idea post MoP.
II: The Basics
Lore: After the events in Pandaria, both the Horde and the Alliance realize the advantage that technology brings to their forces. In particular, the absolute devastation that the airship Skybreaker brought to an entire horde fleet of ships in the opening days of the Pandaria conflict, and the destruction of Theramore caused by a mana bomb dropped from a Goblin zeppelin. Both sides quickly begin to develop corps of highly trained engineers who can not only develop technological devices, but fight with them as well. Some in this group choose to fight with guns and explosives, other decide to use robotics and other mechanical devices, while others decide to use their ingenuity to devise powerful chemicals and healing potions.
Overview: Tinkers are a hybrid class, consisting of Tanking, DPS, and Healing specializations. The can also fight from range with guns or crossbows. Gunnery Tinkers can dual wield two pistols at once. Tinkers are NOT a hero class! All Tinkers begin at level 1 in their respective zones.
Weapons:1h swords, 1h axes, 1h maces
Armor: Leather until level 40, then Mail armor. INT for Clockwork and Chemical. Agility for Gunnery.
Resource: Focus or Energy along with Spark. Spark generates while the Tinker does certain abilities, and degrades while the Tinker is out of combat. Spark is used for more powerful Tinker abilities. Chemists could use mana instead of energy/focus for balance purposes.
Races:
Alliance: Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes, Draenei
Horde: Goblins, Blood Elves, Orcs Undead,
Possibly Pandaren
III: Specializations and Sample Abilities
Neutral form
When the hammer tank isn't out, the Tinker is in neutral form. While in neutral form, the Tinker uses its equipped weapon, and has access to a limited number of abilities like Pocket Factory, Tinker Tincture, and Jump Start.
While in neutral form, the Tinker has access to Tinker Staff, a ranged weapon that changes properties based on spec.
:::Shared Abilities:::
+Core Ability+
Hammer Tank (Toggle):
The Hammer Tank is the quintessential Tinker device. The tank allows Tinkers to protect themselves and allies, deploy advanced weapon systems, or unleash powerful chemical agents that can help or hinder. Despite its relative size, and imposing visage, in the hands of a skilled Tinker, the Hammer Tank can be as precise as a surgeon's hand.
The Hammer Tank rests on the Tinker's back, supported by numerous straps and belts. When activated, the tank increases the Tinker's armor and attack power, as well as granting the Tinker powerful abilities all based on spec. The Hammer Tank allows the Tinker to tank and to fight from melee range, or battle targets at range using its built in weapon systems. While Hammer Tank is active, the Tinker cannot use its equipped weapon. However, it has access to a wide variety of weapons, utilities, and devices. The tank takes damage over the course of the battle, as well as generates heat as the Tinker fights. As the heat increases, the time between the Tinker's attack abilities increase. The Tinker must utilize its "Vent" ability whenever possible.
Additionally the Hammer Tank must be repaired during the course of battle. If too much damage is taken, the tank will cease to work until it reaches a proper level of repair, and the Tinker will only be able to use a subset of its full weaponry. This is especially important while tanking, because the armor level of the tank is tied directly into how much damage the Tinker can take.
Note: Hammer Tanks differ in appearance based on race.
+Core Ability+
Pocket Factory
Pocket Factory allows you to produce a variety of robots that assist you in combat.
:::::::: Shared Abilities :::::::::
Vent:Opens an air vent within your Hammer tank, releasing stored heat, and cooling off your Hammer Tank's engine.
Rocket Step: Small foot rockets allow the Tinker to quickly dash in the direction he's currently moving in.
Tinker Tincture: Instantly restores a small amount of health.
Jump Start: (CD) Instantly restores your resources to maximum.
Flame Thrower: (Channeled) Fires a stream of fire at a target, burning them, and dealing damage over time.
Salvage: (passive) The Tinker can pick up scraps of his old creations or mechanical enemies to repair armor and reduce cooldowns.
Pocket Transporter: Teleports you to a random spot within 40 yards of your starting location.
Repair Bot 2.0: Summons a small robot that will repair your gear and armor for a lower fee. Can also be used to repair your Hammer Tank
Clockwork
(Tanking/ Support) Clockwork Tinkers (CT) specialize in developing and utilizing advanced robotics for the purpose of being in the front lines of battle, and protecting allies. Unlike other specs, the Clockwork spec operates from melee range.
Sample Abilities:
-Overload: Discharges the energy from your backpack tank, damaging all enemies within an 8 yard radius. Causes some damage to your hammer tank.
-Pellet Grenades: Fires three grenade shells forward, exploding on the first target(s) they hit.
-Rocket Fist: A rocket-propelled punch that does damage to a single target, and weakens its armor.
-Cluster Rockets: (passive) As you auto-attack, your tank randomly launches cluster rockets in an area around the Tinker.
-Improved Vents: (passive) Your vent ability now damages targets within 8 yards of the Tinker.
-Blitzkrieg: Charges a target, dazing them. Can be used up to 3 times.
-Fist cutters: (passive) Your hammer tank's auto-attacks have a chance to cause bleeding damage to an enemy.
-Electro Magnetic Sawblade: Emits an EM pulse that pulls enemies towards the Tinker's spinning sawblade. As the enemy is pulled closer to the blade, the damage increases. Causes significant threat.
-Transformer: Briefly transforms your tank into a more powerful machine, increasing its armor and abilities for a brief time. (CD).
Chemical
(Healing/Support) During the Pandarian conflict, both factions realized that the army that tended to be victorious was the the army that tended to be healthy. Due to a shortage of magic-users who could heal allies, both the alliance and the horde began to look into how to use Alchemy and Apothecary to aid them in the healing and upkeep of their soldiers. Tinkers dove into this new field, honing their gadgets and technology to both enhance the power of these chemical agents, and to find more and efficient ways to disperse these agents over a battlefield. Of course, not all of this research has been positive. With the discovery of more effective ways to deploy and disperse chemical agents, various factions are finding ways to more effectively and brutally kill their adversaries with chemical warfare.
Sample Abilities:
-Elixir shot: The Tinker fires a healing potion at a target, healing them.
-Adrenaline Shot: Increases chemical healing done on target by x% for 5 minutes.
-Healing Spray: Heals targets in a wave around the Tinker.
-Acid Bomb: Launches a bomb of acid at a target, reducing armor at a target by a high amount, and a moderate amount to surrounding targets.
-Phoenix Flame: Alters your flame thrower to allow it to heal allies in its path.
-Sick Bay: (replaces Pocket Factory) A robotic medical vehicle that follows the Tinker, and possess automated abilities;
+ Diagnostic: Heals target over time.
+ Antiseptic spray: Removes a poison or bleed effect on a target.
+ Recharge: Increases the rate the Spark resource regenerates when a Tinker is within 10 yards.
+ Resuscitation: Brings target back to life even during combat (20 minute CD).
-Gas Mask: (passive) Reduces damage taken from disease and poison effects.
Arsenal
(DPS) Tinkers who utilize their vast knowledge towards weapon manufacture are known as Arsenal Tinkers. These Tinkers have adapted their hammer tanks into mobile weapon platforms that cause huge amounts of damage in their wake. Unlike Chemical and Clockwork Tinkers who utilize their vast knowledge to assist or help others, Arsenal Tinkers are in the business just to cause as much damage as possible adding to their impressive body count.
-Twin Vulcan: Fires two high powered shots at a target, dazing them and causing fire damage (short CD).
-Burst shot: Launches a high powered blast from your weapon, dealing heavy damage, and knocking back your target.
-Cluster Missiles: Launches a cluster of missiles from your tank that damage targets in an AoE.
-Cutting Laser: (Channeled) Fires a high-powered laser at a target. Laser's power intensifies as it focuses on target. Laser causes bleed damage.
-Satellite: Launches an artificial satellite that will orbit the Tinker for as long as the hammer tank is active. The satellite acts as a guardian against attacks, and will mimic some of the Tinker's more powerful attacks.
-Crawler Mine Factory: (Replaces Pocket Factory) Produces crawler mines that seek out a target and detonate on impact. If no target is present, Crawler Mines will follow the Tinker.
+Burrow Mine: You bury all of your existing crawler mines. Use Burrow again to detonate.
-Sticky Grenade: Fires a grenade that sticks to a target. The grenade will explode seconds later, causing AoE damage.
-Self-Destruct: Purposely overload your hammer tank, blowing yourself up, and causing massive damage in a 8 yard radius. This kills you instantly.
IV: Other Possible Specs
This concept is so broad that there's numerous other specs that could be created for this class. Here are some examples that just didn't make it into the main thread, but could still be awesome Tinker specs.
Steam Warrior: Akin to the Engineering class from Torchlight 2. This spec would use steam-enhanced melee weapons and armor to destroy its foes.
Magitech: Tinkers who blend magic and technology to create spectacular results. These tinkers would have far more advanced weaponry than regular tinkers.
Golem: Tinker who specializes in creating large powersuits known as Golems and piloting them into combat. Golem appearance:
http://-seed-.deviantart.com/art/Cal...h-ver2-2575478
V: Conclusion
Thank you for taking the time to read this thread. Please vote in the poll, and let me know if I successfully developed a class that was different than the Engineering profession, and the Hunter class. Again, thanks for reading, and I look forward to your responses.
Special thanks to Blizzard, Wowiki, and other sources from which I pulled various art and ideas.